Swedish regulator bans GG.Bet for targeting players without a licence
ASG 360 immediately banned after offering players Swedish currency options and targeting customers with both direct and affiliate marketing
The Swedish Gambling Authority (SGA) has banned Cyprus-based operator ASG 360 Services from offering online gambling to players in the Scandinavian country.
ASG 360 owns and operates the GG.Bet platform and its several variations including gg248.bet, gg249.bet and ggbetbet.net.
The SGA launched an investigation into the website after suspicions arose the operator was illegally offering games to Swedish players without the necessary licence.
The regulator attempted to carry out a hidden test purchase on the site, although this was never completed.
Upon further inspection, the SGA found GG.Bet was offering Swedish krona (SEK) as a pre-selected currency option.
The SGA also discovered marketing materials in Swedish, which could be traced back to GG.Bet and/or its affiliates.
Another issue unearthed during the inspection was that GG.Bet’s gaming operations were being conducted through parent company River Entertainment BV, which holds an address and licence in Curaçao.
When contacted by the SGA for comment, ASG 360 failed to respond.
The regulator ultimately decided to an issue an injunction against ASG 360, banning GG.Bet from Sweden with immediate effect.
An SGA statement said: “The Swedish Gambling Authority has assessed that ASG 360 Services Limited provides games in Sweden because the company offers SEK as a selectable currency on the GG.Bet website, which is pre-selected when accessing the website from a Swedish IP address.
“This indicates that Sweden is one of the markets that the company is targeting. Furthermore, the company markets itself to Swedish consumers through both direct marketing and marketing via affiliates.
“ASG 360 Services Limited does not have a licence to provide games in Sweden. The Swedish Gambling Authority therefore decides to prohibit ASG 360 Services Limited from providing games in Sweden.
“The Swedish Gambling Authority considers that, in the interests of consumer protection and to guarantee gaming safety, it is important that the decision is complied with immediately. The decision shall therefore apply immediately.”
In November 2024, Sweden’s National Gambling Industry Association (SPER) published an article in Swedish newspaper Dagens Industri outlining recommendations on how to stop unlicensed operators entering the market.
The proposals included changing Sweden’s Gambling Act from a directional criteria to a participation criteria.
A directional criteria assesses whether an operator is actively targeting the Swedish market, whereas a participation criteria focuses on whether players have access to unlicensed games whether they have been targeted or not.
In February this year, the country’s government announced plans to review Sweden’s Gambling Act, with a view to excluding more unlicensed operators from the market.
Back in January, the SGA also suspended Curaçao-based operator Goodwin NV for illegally operating in Sweden without a licence.